epublicans and Democrats alike
He says it’s ineffective because it enhave expressed outrage over a
courages the tortured to tell their captors
Trump press aide’s casual dismisswhatever they want to hear just to make
al of the opposition of U.S. John
the pain stop.
McCain, R-Arizona, to the nomination
More importantly, it’s immoral. Amerof Gina Haspel as head of the Central
ica’s refusal to torture is supposed to be
Intelligence Agency.
one of the ways we demonstrate we’re the
“It doesn’t matter; he’s dying anyway,”
good guys.
Trump special assistant Kelly Sadler said.
It is because McCain has authority,
McCain, 81, battles brain cancer.
both moral and from experience, to
Sadler’s comment was a mean, shabby
speak about the issue of torture that the
thing to say, even in jest. Any decent
Trump White House seeks to belittle or
person would have apologized at once.
dismiss his voice and views.
Any decent White House would have
That’s why the focus in the adminisdisavowed the remark just as fast.
tration isn’t on apologizing for Sadler’s
Therein lies the problem.
remark but rather on determining who
Sadler works in an administration that
leaked it and punishing that person.
takes umbrage whenever someone—anyIn the world the Trump team has
one—suggests that Donald
constructed of tough-guy
Trump might not be a greater
fantasies, facts such as John
president than George WashThey’re
McCain’s history with and
ington, Abraham Lincoln, and
intimate knowledge of tornot tough.
both Roosevelts combined or
ture must not be allowed to
purer than Snow White and
They’re
intrude.
Sleeping Beauty.
We can’t expect much else
mean. There’s from
Trump and his people think
this president and the
this determination not to
a difference. people who work for him.
acknowledge wrongdoing or
Their investment in preservmistakes makes them seem tough.
ing the unreality in which they operate
It doesn’t. They’re not tough. They’re
is deep.
mean. There’s a difference, one they likeThe Republicans in Congress who
ly never will understand.
could serve as the only checks on this adJohn McCain, on the other hand, is
ministration’s repeated assaults on basic
tough. He was held prisoner for years
decency and honor are another matter.
during the Vietnam War. During that
They have condoned much from Dontime, he was tortured, again and again
ald Trump and his team.
and again. The repeated tortures left him
Even though they fulminate now about
with lasting injuries that would have
the gratuitous insult delivered to one
debilitated a lesser man.
of their congressional colleagues—the
It is because of that experience—those
GOP’s standard-bearer in 2008—the bet
years of torture—that McCain opposes
here is that they will end up accepting
Haspel’s nomination to lead the CIA.
this outrage too. N
Haspel has countenanced torture as an
interrogation technique in the past—a poJohn Krull is director of Franklin Colsition she has yet to convincingly disavow.
lege’s Pulliam School of Journalism and
McCain’s opposition to torture is twopublisher of TheStatehouseFile.com.
pronged.
For more opinion pieces visit nuvo.net/voices

NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // VOICES // 3

LEGISLATORS APPROVE FOUR BILLS
IN ONE-DAY SPECIAL SESSION
Muncie and Gary School Takeovers Moving Forward
BY ABRAHM HURT AND ADRIANNA PITRELLI // NEWS@NUVO.NET

M

onday’s special session came with
no surprises as the four bills that
legislators failed to pass on the last
night of the regular session were all
easily approved and signed by the governor.
“Today, Indiana lawmakers aligned state
and federal tax law to streamline the process
for Hoosier families and business, provided
more funding to support schools in need,
and improved school safety statewide—all in
one day as planned,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Legislators met for a little more than six
hours to discuss bills from school safety to
updating the state’s tax code, but the most
heated debate took place over House Bill 1315,
the Gary-Muncie school-takeover legislation.
HB 1315 establishes a process to single out
struggling schools. It would allow the state to
take over the Gary and Muncie community
schools, and it authorizes a $12 million loan
to the Muncie school system.
Proponents of HB 1315 said the school
takeover would allow for a unified approach
to solve the two districts’ financial problems. But opponents countered that the
voices of the community could be silenced
because the elected school boards would be
overridden.
Rep. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, said she
wanted to be a part of the process of writing
the bill, but she was ignored by the author,
Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville.
“I am just concerned about the democratic processes with this body,” she said. “It’s
Muncie and Gary right now, but who’s going
to be next?”
Many legislators were concerned that citizens would no longer have the right to elect a
school board.
“Their right to select local representatives

// PHOTO BY BRIAN WEISS

students and families.”
The bill passed the House 63-30 and in the
Senate 34-14.
Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns said
the university’s board of trustees will meet
Wednesday to discuss whether or not they
accept the responsibilities, and if they do, Ball
State will assume responsibility starting July 1.
Lawmakers also approved House Bill
1230, which provides $5 million for school
safety that the governor requested during the
regular session. The bill also allows school
corporations and charter schools to obtain
funding advances of up to $500,000 for
school security equipment and capital purchases, but total advances are not allowed to
exceed $35 million. The bill passed the House
96-1 and the Senate 47-1.

IN OTHER ACTION

is being taken away from them,” Vernon
staff,” said Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East
Smith, D-Gary, said. “If there has been some
Chicago. “The bill takes down the elected
mismanagement, the people of both cities
school board to make an advisory board—so
have committed no wrong,
does your vote really count?”
so why are we punishing the
Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderaverage citizen?”
“It’s Muncie and son, said while he is happy for
Ball State will appoint a
State because this is someGary right now, Ball
newly created seven-member
thing they have advocated for,
school board to replace the
but who’s going he does not support the bill.
current elected five-mem“There will be less than 90
to be next?”
ber school board, and Gary’s
days before the fall school year
school board will be changed
—REP. SUE ERRINGTON, once this passes because of the
D-MUNCIE special session, so the commuinto an advisory board.
Senate Democrats also
nity must quickly unite over
voiced strong opposition to the bill.
this decision,” he said. “While I disagree with
“The bill says that it allows the district
this, I am here to assist Ball State University in
to fire up to 5 percent of their teachers and
any way we can [to] get this job done for the

House Bill 1242 is a tax bill that exempts
trucks, pavers, vehicle parts, and fuel purchased by a hot-mix asphalt company from
Indiana’s 7 percent sales tax, which will cost
the state around $5 million per year. It also
includes a provision requiring that employees of the Department of Revenue and
subcontractors be fingerprinted to comply
with federal requirements. The bill passed
the House 74-20 and 41-7 in the Senate.
House Bill 1316 will update the state’s tax
code to comply with recent federal changes.
The bill changes state policy to the current
federal policy that allows one to use money
in a 529 college savings plan on K–12 education. The bill passed the House 75-22 and the
Senate 40-8. N
Abrahm Hurt and Adrianna Pitrelli are
reporters for TheStatehouseFile.com.

D

Teese Comes
to Town

ita Von Teese isn’t afraid
to admit she’s a little
nervous about bringing
her Copper Coupe Burlesque Revue to Indianapolis
this week. For nearly two
decades, the model, dancer,
vedette, author, actress, and
fashion designer has stuck mostly
to big cities when performing.
“It’s funny,” she says in a recent
phone interview, “I’ve been extremely
lucky to travel all over the world—
Australia, Russia, India, China, Europe—
but that travel has created a real love
affair with America for me.
“I’m a Midwestern girl,” says the
Rochester, Michigan, native. “So I’m really
grateful to bring my show to the middle of
the country. It’s a little scary because we
haven’t done this before. This time we’re
going to a lot of places we haven’t taken
the full show, like Indianapolis. I’m really
excited to be in other cities and perform
for new people.”
Given the rich history of burlesque

BY LAURA McPHEE // LMCPHEE@NUVO.NET

PHOTO BY ALBERT SANCHEZ //

entertainment and the current popularity
of the genre in Indianapolis, Von Teese
has little to worry about. Over the past
20 years, burlesque has reclaimed its
mainstream status as delightful adult
entertainment. Some people equated it
with sleaze and strip clubs for far too long.
This contemporary revival of burlesque
and its resurgent popularity is due in very
large part to Von Teese and her non-stop
work ethic. Since her debut in 1992, she
has been at the forefront of the neo-

burlesque movement that has coincided
with a society far less focused on slutshaming and far more interested in
celebrating sexuality.
“The revival in burlesque is much
bigger than I am,” says Von Teese. “And
I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I feel very
fortunate to have performed through
the evolution. In the beginning, I played
to predominantly male audiences. Now
it’s a lot wider of an audience. There
are a lot of women and a much bigger

LGBT audience that I’m
proud of. Burlesque is more
mainstream and diverse
now, and I love that.”
The path from obscurity to
stardom has been the result of
decades of hard work for Von
Teese that included modeling,
acting, and what is often termed
“exotic” dancing. In the early 1990s,
Von Teese performed in strip clubs around
the country including here in Indianapolis
(“I still remember it!”). When she returns
this week for her Murat performance, it
will be as the most recognizable burlesque
performer in the world.
It will also be as an entrepreneur who
seldom takes time off. “When you’re your
own boss, you really have to be selfmotivated and disciplined,” she says. “I
pretty much work seven days a week, but
I love it. There are no ‘do-nothing’ days.”
Her current Art of the Tease tour
began last fall and included sold-out
engagements across Europe. From there,
she spent several weeks in Australia
NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // THE BIG STORY // 7

The Big Story Continued...

before coming back to the U.S. and
kicking off two months of spring and
summer dates across America.
She’s currently working on a second
book, a follow-up to Your Beauty Mark,
and continues to be at the helm of
a successful lingerie line sold at big
retailers such as Nordstrom
and Bloomingdales.
If that’s not enough, she recently
released her first album, a self-titled
collaboration with French artist
Sébastien Tellier, who saw Von Teese at
the legendary Crazy Horse club in Paris
and approached her about
collaborating on an album
of his songs.
“We recorded a few
of the songs
in Paris,” says
Von Teese, “but
Sébastien loves
L.A., so we did
most of it here.”
And while the
album has
inspired her to
pursue more
projects along
those lines,
the songs
aren’t part of
the current
burlesque tour.
“We’ll
be using
a remixed
version of one

WHAT // Dita Von Teese and
the Copper Coupe Revue
WHEN // Saturday, May 19, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE // Murat Theatre at
Old National Centre
TICKETS // $25

of the songs in this show, but it’s really a
different thing. Hopefully, I’ll do a tour
for the record or a new one next year.”
Paris has been a kind of second
home to Von Teese over the years,
and certainly the city’s willingness to
8 // THE BIG STORY // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET

embrace titillating
entertainment and
celebration of female sexuality
has contributed to her
residency. But she’s not overly
romantic about the place.
“There are so many wonderful things
about living in Paris or anywhere in
France. But there are some downsides
too. There is much to prefer about
America,” she says when asked
to choose.
And while America wins out for Von
Teese, the appreciation of femininity and
its intersection with female sexuality in
Paris are hard to beat.
“I don’t mean to wax poetic
about the French being
better than Americans,”
says Von Teese. “There
are a lot of things
we do better in
America. But in this
instance, there is
something wonderful
about the way the
French embrace
sexuality and hold
it in high regard,
at all ages. It’s a
wonderful thing
to still see men
falling all over
themselves
for Catherine
Deneuve.”
Now in
her mid-40s,
Von Teese
has earned
the title of
Grand Dame
PHOTO BY HERRING
AND HERRING //
of American
Burlesque through
decades of hard work and a
fundamental love of the genre. “I’m
proud of what I’ve done. I’ve worked
with integrity and a genuine love for
what I do.
“I don’t think about moving on to
something bigger. I love doing this. It’s
an elaborate game of dress-up; what’s
not to love?” N

hen Dita Von Teese takes the stage
at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis on Saturday night, she will
join an impressive list of burlesque
performers who’ve entertained Indianapolis audiences as part of a theatrical tradition
going back nearly 150 years.
While “burlesque” was a term applied to
farcical comedy and lowbrow satire long
before the Victorians made it famous, it
solidified as an American entertainment
genre in the post-Civil War years when
traveling theatrical troupes found it easy
to crisscross the country via railroad,
and towns big and small were eager to
welcome them.
These early burlesque shows were similar
to what we think of today as vaudeville:
campy variety shows that featured everything from stand-up comedy to sword
swallowing in between the song-and-dance
numbers. There were usually short “theatrical” pieces as well that would lampoon the
classics, from Shakespeare to Sinbad.
The arrival of Victorian “leg dancer” Lydia
Thompson and her British Blonde Burlesque Troupe in New York, however, fully
injected sex appeal and peek-a-boo promiscuity into burlesque. While pretty girls
weren’t new to these productions, Thompson built an entire company of females and
dressed them in as little as possible.
Thompson and her girls dominated
New York ticket sales and headlines when
she arrived in 1868, and within a year, she
was taking the show on the road for a U.S.
tour in 1870. Indianapolis was one of the
first stops. The British Blondes arrived in
February for a one-week engagement at the
Academy of Music, a newly opened 2,500seat theater at the corner of Illinois and
Ohio streets.
The 1869–1870 season at the Academy
was groundbreaking and risky, according
to Indianapolis News reports, in that it

LYDIA THOMPSON AND HER BRITISH BLONDES // PHOTOS FROM NYPL.ORG

was the first local theater to rely solely on
touring artists and companies rather than
book local acts. The lineup included several
ballet and opera companies, headlining
comedians and singers, a gymnastic troupe,
and a good deal of Shakespeare. There was
even an “equine drama” that promised a
live horse on stage during the production.
Thompson and the British Blondes made
no secret of the show’s sex appeal, and
newspaper ads in advance never failed to
mention “Pretty Girls!”—replete with capitalization and exclamation points. In these

early days, the saucy sexuality of burlesque
was primarily based on flesh-colored tights
beneath tight-fitting corsets and little else.
These were “skirtless girls,” according to
a local critic, “pushing the boundaries of
decency in the name of comedy.”
Opening night for Thompson’s troupe
went well, according to The News. The
audience was enthusiastic, though a bit
anemic. “It was not an audience their
merits deserved, for there is a great deal of
talent in the troupe.”
It didn’t take long for the city to catch on,

however, and Thompson and the Blondes
returned to Indianapolis for three more
engagements over the next two years.
By the late 1890s, the Empire Theatre was the city’s home for all things
burlesque. Located on Wabash Street,
between Delaware and Pennsylvania
streets, the theater boasted appearances
by every well-known burlesque troupe in
the country during its nearly 30-year run,
including John W. Isham’s company of
African American performers.
Isham started off working for the Creole
Burlesque Show, the first troupe in the
country to feature an all-Black cast, before
forming his own company, The Royal
Octoroons, in 1885. In addition to the
typical burlesque fare, the cast included
16 gorgeous chorus girls and songs such
as the fast-paced, “reverse-coon” song “No
Coon Can Come Too Black for Me,” where
the ladies sang the praises of dark-skinned
men, “The blacker they come, the better I
like ’em. All them yaller babies, I’m bound
to slight ’em.”
After an 1893 performance, the city’s
most prominent African American paper,
The Indianapolis Freeman, wrote, “[Isham]
has done more for the advancement of the
Colored race in all America than any other
man since the day of its emancipation...his
is a well-equipped company of Colored artists; the performance is thoroughly enjoyable, many of the company being superior
to the average white performer.”
Burlesque evolved again after the
Second World War, and the incorporation
of stripteases and fan dances led to a far
more seductive and sensual type of theater. And while it’s that brand of burlesque
that most heavily influences current burlesque performers such as Dita Von Teese
and local troupes in Indianapolis, their
roots go all the way back to Lydia Thompson and her leg dancers. N
NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // THE BIG STORY // 9

The Big Story Continued...

THE ART OF THE TEASE EVOLVES
Local Performers Reflect on Indy’s Burlesque Scene
BY PAUL F. P. POGUE // EDITORS@NUVO.NET

T

he recent revival of burlesque in
Indianapolis dates back to a few rebels
who took to the stage at The Melody Inn
15 years ago. Among the performers at
the 2003 Punk Rock Night burlesque debut
was Anita Cocktail, an active member of
Indy’s longest-running burlesque troupe,
Bottoms Up Burlesque, from its 2004
inception until it disbanded in 2016.
Anita semiretired after Bottoms Up but is
returning to the stage as one of the burlesque
performers for the Big Gay Revue at Punk
Rock Night at The Melody Inn starting at 9
p.m. on June 9.
“Performing there is like a family reunion. Anita [the stage persona] was born
there. Bottoms Up Burlesque was born
there. That stage is a very familiar and
welcoming place.”
The first decade of Indy burlesque was
largely driven by the various troupes that
sprang up around town. While troupes still
make up a big part of the scene, independent performers such as Pepper Mills, Maella Cai Vane, and Bunny Elise VanDoren—to
name a few from a very large and diverse

DOTTIE MINERVA //

group across the city—have made their
mark since the beginning and have played a
prominent role in the 2010s.
“There weren’t many opportunities to perform in those first several years, and being
part of a troupe was essential,” Anita says.
“In the last few years before my retirement,
I performed frequently outside my troupe,
and I also loved that experience. It widened
my horizons in many ways as a performer. I
think the growth of independent performers
in Indianapolis is a reflection of the growth
in performance opportunities.”
“The rise of the independents has made
things very interesting,” adds Barbacoa
Jones of Project X. “When I first got into the
scene, there was a little trading back and
forth of performers, but I did not see a ton
of people performing with all the troupes.
There are some truly awe-inspiring independents here in town.”
“The independent performers have
had a huge impact on the Indy burlesque
scene, and we’re all richer for them,” says
Katie Angel of Angel Burlesque. “Not everyone wants to be a part of a troupe, and

IN HER OWN WORDS
I surveyed several active burlesque
veterans and asked them to reflect on the
past and future of the scene. Some have
been around for more than a decade and
appreciate the ongoing support and growth
of audiences. All agree there’s plenty of room
for more fans at upcoming performances.
Frenchy LaRouge, Rocket Doll Revue:
“Burlesque has gained a lot of attention
recently nationally and locally, but there’s
still plenty of room to grow! We have a lively
scene, but we hope as the city attracts more
tourism, [the] demand for live entertainment increases. There are several new
venues that may support burlesque shows
opening up, and we have some ideas for
different show formats and venue-specific
performance styles.”
Maella Cai Vane: “Burlesque in general
is an inspirational and empowering artistic
movement that has had a strong international resurgence over the past two decades.

MAELLA CAI VANE //

The Indianapolis burlesque scene has grown
from this movement, bringing diversity
to each stage a show is produced on. With
this diversity, producers are able to provide
different forms of burlesque entertainment
that caters to all audience varieties.”
Katie Angel, Angel Burlesque: “[We]
recently produced Spring Fling (It Off), and
we held open auditions. The burlesque
debuts blew the audience away! These new
performers killed it and are all excited about
starting their performance journeys.”
Barbacoa Jones, Project X: “I hope that
Indy realizes we have a strong scene here. If
you like to laugh, if you like to have a bit of
tease, if you like to see people being strong in
the face of their doubts, then come to a burlesque show. It’s way more than stripping!”
Anita Cocktail: “I have really been in
awe at how much burlesque has grown in
Indianapolis over the years. It has brought
a lot of energy and creativity to the community. Seeing the evolution from a single
troupe putting on an annual show to the
diverse, thriving burlesque scene we have
today is wonderful.” N

MAELLA CAI VANE AND FRIENDS
“I am an independent burlesque performer, producer, and event organizer that hires burlesque, sideshow,
drag, and a variety of performers from across the nation to perform at various events,” Maella says.
Upcoming show: Big Gay Revue, June 9 at The Melody Inn

PROJECT X BURLESQUE
“Project X is a burlesque and circus sideshow troupe,” says founder Barbacoa Jones. “We especially like
bringing sexy to morbid and dark routines. That’s not to say we do not have fun routines in our shows! We
are the smallest troupe in Indy with only four permanent members. We work well together, and we can have
a rotating cast that gives a different feel to each show.”
Upcoming show: Summer School, June 29 at Birdy’s

ROCKET DOLL REVUE
“We’re an extremely tight-knit group of glamorous, hardworking perverts! We do basically everything together, IRL [in real life], and the troupe is an extension of that friendship. We just want to
show people a good time!” says founding member Frenchy LaRouge.
Upcoming show: Frenchy’s Forbidden Island, June 29–30 at White Rabbit Cabaret

NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // THE BIG STORY // 11

NOW GO HERE

NEW RESTAURANT // Black Eye Take Out
WHAT // Ramen and banh mis in Fountain Square
COST // $$

MAY

19

EVENT // Sudzfest WHAT // A German
celebration of beer on Indy’s Southside
WHERE // German Park

oat Check Coffee has been a fan favorite
since opening its doors early last year.
So when they announced they were
opening a new location at the Tinker
House Events center in the Kennedy King
neighborhood, I knew it was a must-try. The
new spot is named Provider, and it will be a
welcome addition to the coffee scene for anyone who loves Coat Check or great coffee.
Provider is currently in a soft opening
phase, but as a guest, you would think they’ve
been running the business for years. You
step through the industrial doorway into a
wide-open, inviting room filled with people
sipping on caffeinated bevs and tapping
away on their laptops. As you head toward
the concrete counter, you’ll undoubtedly be
greeted by a barista and the vibrant vermillion neon sign that reads “nice weather” in a
cursive scrawl.
For the moment, the menu is a direct copy
of the one at Coat Check Coffee, including
all of their signature lattés. According to Coat
Check and Provider’s cofounder Neal Warner,
this is only for now. “We will eventually split
into a couple different signature drinks and
stuff,” Warner says of the Provider’s café
offerings. “But really, the main difference
on the café side is we will be featuring a few
different specific coffees...and branch into
some coffees that we wouldn’t otherwise be
able to use.”
While Coat Check uses only roasts from
local roaster Tinker Coffee Company, Provider
will be offering a second roaster named Ruby
Coffee. Ruby is a Wisconsin-based roaster,
and Warner says, “I brought on Ruby because
it’s a favorite of a lot of our baristas, and folks
who really get into coffee really like a lot of
coffees they find from Ruby.”
Warner began working with and developing an affinity for coffee while living in
Athens, Georgia. “I started sample roasting
coffee with a coffee roaster down there.” From

THE PISTACHIO LATTÉ AT PROVIDER
// PHOTO BY CAVAN McGINSIE

there he quit his job at a local university and
joined the coffee roaster. He then decided to
move back to Indiana with his wife, which
led him to helping open Open Society Public
House. After that came Coat Check. And now,
for Warner, Provider provides him an opportunity to continue his goal of pushing Indy’s
coffee scene forward.
“I’m most excited about exploring some of
the concepts of hospitality that we’ve developed
at Coat Check. It’s very people focused. It’s not
focused on the inside baseball of crafty cocktail
and beer stuff, but more so projecting energy
out to the guest. Yeah, we’re offering good, crafty
stuff, but it’s really more about you.”
Warner has kept this ideal in mind with
every aspect of the menu. Other than coffee,
Provider will offer a solid pastry selection

from their bakery, which is housed in Coat
Check. It will also have beer, wine, and cocktails. And eventually it will have some classic
sandwich offerings. But they are working on
rolling out each aspect slowly to make sure to
avoid any early hiccups.
Warner’s description of his approach to
the beer selection is the perfect view into the
overall mindset of Provider. They will only be
offering beers from one brewery: Centerpoint
Brewing. “My idea for the beer menu with
this spot is, it’s not ‘I want a beer,’ and [then]
you’re handed a list of 25 beers.” He says he
personally doesn’t enjoy this experience when

he is out with his wife. “It’s a bummer for me
to sit down at a table and look at a menu for
15 minutes.”
So he took a note from some TV shows
from the ’70s. “You see them at a bar and they
walk up and say, “Get me a beer, Al.” And they
just give them a beer,” Warner says. “And that’s
what we’re going to do here.
“The menu will say ‘Beer, Tart Beer, and
Special Beer.’” The Beer will be Centerpoint’s
Kolsch, the Tart Beer is Centerpoint’s Berliner
Weisse, and for now, the Special Beer is Centerpoint’s Blood Orange IPA.
While it may throw off some initial guests
to just be handed a beer, it really has the potential to be something relaxing and a return
to simplicity. “I’m hoping I can get that kind of
ethos embedded in this,” says Warner.
This straightforward and simple approach
bleeds into the cocktail menu with simple
offerings such as a gin and tonic made with
their next-door neighbor Hotel Tango’s gin.
They’ll have a mule that uses a ginger, turmeric,
and galangal reduction for their ginger lattés, as
well as classic daiquiris and a daiquiri variation
called a Picador. The Picador is crafted with
mezcal, so if you’re into sipping smoky drinks,
it is a perfect drink for the early evening.
“We’ll also have a spritzer with sparkling
rosé and an aperitivo,” Warner says. This
sheds an important note on Provider’s wine
list, at least for the summer: It’s all rosé. The
all-rosé list will be the perfect accompaniment to an evening sitting on their patio.
One thing is for certain. Provider will provide Indianapolis with a unique experience.
From being open seven days a week, from 7
a.m. until 10 p.m., to their approach to coffee, beer, wine, and whatever else they have
up their sleeves, Provider is undoubtedly
an unconventional café. “It’s not something
you see a whole lot at this point,” says Warner. “But I’m hoping for something breezier
and easier.” N

NUVO.NET/FOOD+DRINK

CRAFT AND
COMMUNITY
BY RITA KOHN // RKOHN@NUVO.NET

FOUR EATERIES IN SUN KING’S
CARMEL DISTILLERY
When Sun King Brewery initially announced its
upcoming taproom and distillery in Carmel, it was
exciting news for the craft-beverage movement in
Indiana. Now, almost two years later, more exciting
news is coming out of the massive undertaking.
The distillery, which is scheduled to open this
summer, will also have four eateries within the

Show
us
some

15,000-square-foot building. In a press release, Sun
King announced that BEAST, La Margarita, Oca,
and Pi will all have 100-square-foot food stalls in
the space.
All four restaurants have been a part of Indiana’s
culinary community for years. BEAST has been one
of the most popular food trucks in Indy for a long
time. They are known for their gourmet burgers,
including the ever-popular Game Changer, which
is made from Fischer Farms beef and topped with
cookie-butter spread, Chinese five-spice seasoning,
and sriracha slaw. This will be their first brick-andmortar location.

C

raft breweries are foremost community conscious. They get the thing about
“location, location, location.” They
give back and pay up, and they are
concerned with civic responsibility, brewing
tradition, consistent quality, and responsible enjoyment.
Grand Junction head brewer Mike Hofferman brought that to the fore when I asked,
“In a nutshell, what’s the newest excitement
at Grand Junction Brewing Company?”
I was at the Grand Junction production
brewery for a collaboration with BRBP’s
head brewer, Jonathon Mullens. I expected
Mike Hofferman to tell me about the debut
line of cans, new hires, expanded programming, whatever…
Instead, Hofferman told me, “Right now,
both locations are excited for the May 19,
Third Annual Rock the Junction craft beer
and music festival. VIP [entry] starts at 1 p.m.,
with general admission starting at 2 p.m. We
will have four bands, 20 different establishments [pouring beer], and three different
food trucks.”
The daylong event includes the 10th
anniversary running of the Grand Junction
Derby at 11 a.m. and tricycle races at 11:30

// PHOTOS BY BRIAN KINCIUS

a.m. Soapbox racing is open to all ages, with
competition in one of two classes: stock car
(traditional soapbox derby body style) and
creative car, where anything that moves like a
derby vehicle is allowed.
“Rock the Junction started in 2016,” continued Hofferman. “The event has one focus:
giving back to the community. One hundred
percent of the net proceeds go to local charity.
“The event has had so much success it has
now evolved into funding the Grand Junction
Brewing Company Scholarship Fund to
provide two local high school students with
scholarships, often focusing on underserved
trade/vocational pursuits. Previous beneficiaries have been the Indy Honor Flight
organization and Westfield Youth Assistance,
a program focused on helping at-risk youth
in the area.
“From the very beginning,” said Hofferman, “Grand Junction Brewing Company has
felt strongly about supporting the community
that supports them. The connection we have
with our community, and they have with us,
is something I’ve never experienced before in
my six years in this industry.”
For more Rock the Junction info, go to
GrandJunctionBrewing.com/Events. N

Sun King fans will undoubtedly know Oca,
which made its first home in Sun King’s Downtown
location. Oca is a part of the Smoking Goose and

on
social
media!

Goose the Market family and dishes out sausages,
charcuterie, and smaller bites such as soft pretzels.
They also serve Goose the Market’s extraordinary
sandwich, The Batali; so now you have three places
to treat yourself to one of the best sandwiches in
the country.
La Margarita has a cult following in the city who

@nuvoindy

swears by the Fountain Square staple’s Mexican
fare. They are most known for their simple but
tasty dishes such as Al Pastor tacos featuring
Fischer Farms pork and their fajita salad. They have
been dishing out food to our city since 1984, so
they know what they’re doing.

@NUVO_net

And last, but not least, pizza fans can rejoice, as
Pi will round out the group with their pizza pies. Pi
has operated as a food truck around the city, and
they are known for their wood-fired oven, which
cooks up everything from simple pepperoni pizzas
to their out-of-the box Figgy Piggy.
Once Sun King’s Carmel taproom and distillery

@NUVONews

opens July 2, it is bound to be a destination for
people from around the city. It will offer spirits such
as moonshine, gin, rum, and more along with Sun
King’s beers. These four restaurants are just an
added bonus on top of what has been one of the
most anticipated openings in Indiana for years.
— CAVAN McGINSIE

NO EXIT FROM POVERTY IN SIGHT
‘Nickle and Dimed’ Shines Light on Working Poor
BY LISA GAUTHIER MITCHISON // LMITCHISON@NUVO.NET

I

t was the hot dog buns. There are some
images that stick with you. For me, it was
the hot dog buns. That’s when I was sure
that I had seen this show before. Because
seeing someone eat hot dog buns for lunch
because that’s all they can afford is something that stays with you.
My previous review of this show, which
was by another company, is so old that it
doesn’t exist electronically anymore, but
what I find ironic and sad is that I can relate
to this story even more now than I did then.
I know how accurate the food bank box that
Barbara gets is. I’ve been one of those people
who work three jobs and still can’t make ends
meet. Sometimes I still can’t.
Many people who can afford theater tickets have never personally experienced these
situations. That’s why it’s important for them
to see it spilled out for them onstage (or in
the round, in this case).
The play Nickel and Dimed is based on
the best-selling book by Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by
in America, which was published in 2002.
Ehrenreich, who was very comfortable
financially by working as a writer, took on an
investigative project that would require her
to live on minimum wage—that meant rent,
food, transportation, clothing…all of it. The
play distills her experiences and commentary
from the book, but the message rings out:
People can’t live this way. No matter how hard
they work—and they work very, very, VERY
hard—they will never get ahead. It’s simply
a matter of numbers. Everything costs more
for the poor because they have nothing to
start with, so, for example, they end up living
in seedy motels—or their car—because they
can’t afford a deposit on an apartment.
For NoExit’s production, the audience sits
in relatively comfy office-type chairs in the
middle of a currently empty office space that
is easily imagined to become a cubicle hell.

SCENES FROM NICKLE AND DIMED BY NoEXIT PERFORMANCE AT THE BINGO HALL // PHOTOS BY DANIEL AXLER

Scene by scene, minimum-wage workers bust
their asses off around you.
Barbara, played by Bridget Haight, never
really has to feel the full pain of poverty
because she starts with a slush fund, and
she can bail when she wants to and return
to her posh apartment that she shares with
her boyfriend. She tries out several different
states, starting off each time with no job and
no living space of her own. By the time she
finishes her project, Barbara has a much
clearer view of the backs of the working poor
that support the upper-middle-class and
upper-class lifestyles.
“Malmart” workers are required to put in

WHAT // Nickel and Dimed by
NoExit Performance
WHEN // Through May 19,
Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m.
WHERE // The Bingo Hall,
3633 E. Raymond St.
TICKETS // nickeldimed.bpt.me

unpaid overtime. Their managers are stuck
in a similar rut because they are under the
thumb of quotas and budgets set by suits that
have never walked into a discount store. Or
the owners of a cleaning service or restaurant

are so intent on making any profit that they
don’t mind pulling it from the life force of
their employees. These workers rarely if ever
get to sit down. They are subjected to the
verbal abuse from customers and sometimes-unsafe working conditions. Waitresses
are given crap tips, and their paychecks
reflect only a $2+ wage because the government expects them to make up the difference
in those tips.
NoExit’s production brings these people
to life. Carrie Bennett, Kallen Ruston, Tracy
Herring, Latoya Moore, Elysia Rohn, and
Ryan Ruckman play multiple roles under the
direction of Callie Burke Hartz. The actors
embody each person’s different circumstances, heritage, and mindset. Their characterization flexibility is remarkable.
The team of actors creates convincing
characters who really think getting a raise
to $7.35 an hour is a big deal or working in
a factory for $9 an hour is a small miracle.
Haight builds Barbara’s frustration and
helplessness in the face of these revelations
as she encounters each new and appalling
workplace and story from her coworkers.
At the end, the workers stand on one side
of the room and Barbara, back in her Florida
apartment where her boyfriend recently
bought an $800 couch, stands at the other,
the literal space emphasizing the symbolic
one. This last scene makes a poignant silent
statement. We are not the same, and no matter what, we never really will be.
Even a living wage isn’t going to bridge that
divide. A living wage is a great place to start,
but it will take generations and scores of other
governmental changes to truly lessen the gap
between the working poor and everyone else.
Hopefully, the message will make people
think more about those waitresses, those customer-service people, those wage slaves. N
Lisa Gauthier Mitchison covers local theater
at indianapolistheaterreviews.wordpress.com

Master began at the plantation in Drew,
Mississippi, where his family sharecropped
WHAT // Photos of Brush Master’s
cotton. His father was a mechanic, and his
hand-painted signs by Kyle Long
mother cleaned houses but also used to draw
WHEN // Through August
and sketch as a hobby and for the church.
WHERE // Central Library Special
After borrowing some of his mother’s
Collections Room
brushes to hand paint signs in his hometown, Travis found himself hitchhiking.
the biggest possible audience yet.’”
Along the way, he painted signs and murals
The book is a collaboration between
for free and for small fees that
Long, Hyatt, and the collaborative publisher
financed his travels to small towns
PRINTtEXT, beautifully printed in paperand large cities across 42 states.
back format using the Risograph process.
He attracted large crowds of peoSeeing his work of almost 47 years
ple that were mesmerized by his
documented and on display at the Central
freehand style.
Library’s Special Collections Room feels
“I painted a lot of Hispanic and
surreal for Travis. “It’s strange for me,” he
Asian places,” says Travis. “I wrote
says. “It’s all come along all of a sudden. My
things that I didn’t even know
wife thinks this is amazing.”
what they said. I was peaceful
For Long, the experience of seeing his
and I was creating.”
quest culminate in a printed edition with
His travels led him to Indiaimages and essays by writers, including
napolis, where he has been the
Douglas Kearney and Tatjana Rebelle, also
most prolific. During the 2000s,
feels surreal. But the fact that many of
anyone could have spotted a
Travis’ signs have been painted over or have
JASPER TRAVIS, AKA BRUSH MASTER //
Brush Master sign anywhere
disappeared for other reasons left Long
in the city—from Post Road
questioning who decides what is considered
to Haughville, to Martindale
public art in Indianapolis. “I hope this keeps
Brightwood, and all through
going for him—to allow this to become an
College Avenue.
opportunity for him to grow his craft. Now
BY JENNIFER DELGADILLO // ARTS@NUVO.NET
“For me it started when I
more than ever, what he does has value.”
saw these signs around town
The book on Brush Master—who still
or Kyle Long, the story of Brush Massuch as pantyhose, cigarettes, nachos, and
15 years ago,” says Stuart Hyatt, who
takes commissions as of this writing—is not
ter—a book about hand-painted signs
ice cream.
wound up collaborating with
only documentation and
on sale now at Indy Reads and Luna
The words had a life of their own; some
Brush Master. He saw Long’s
analysis of work by the
Music—began back in the ’90s at Frog’s
cascaded from the corner, and other words
social-media posts about his
Brush Master. It is also
Records & Tapes. This was before he was
were written in cursive. Some were capitalquest to find the Brush Masa story that reminds us
ever known as the host for WFYI’s Cultural
ized with emphatic quotation marks. The
ter and became interested.
to take a step back and
Manifesto, or as the DJ for parties such as
crown jewel was a smiling frog sitting at the
“When Kyle started posting
consider our city’s deeply
Carnaval Brazil and Bollywood Bhangra, or
junction of two hand-painted marquees.
about them on Instagram, I
rooted vitality beyond
a contributing writer for NUVO.
Soon, Long would begin to notice that
was like, wow! Are all these by
freshly painted façades
Frog’s Records and Tapes, which used to
many signs around the city of Indianapolis
the same guy?”
and facelifts that erase
be located on the corner of College Avenue
shared a similar aesthetic. Armed with a sinAfter Long published “You’ll
important parts of our
and 29th Street, was a frequent stop for
gle-use camera, he began documenting the
Find the Brush Master All
city’s history.
Long, who was always on the lookout for his
storefronts and signs that were sometimes
Over Indy’s Storefronts” in
“I don’t feel any stress
next great record find. But the store seldom
signed as “Brush Master” and other times as
NUVO, in May 2017, Hyatt
or any pain while I’m
proved to be a reliable source for anything
“J. Travis.”
contacted Long.
painting,” says Travis. “It’s
remarkable in the way of records.
“It was a way I could make $3 here and
“I wanted to put together
a getaway from where I
What kept Long coming back, though,
there,” says Jasper Travis, who is known
a book that would celebrate
came from picking cotwas the elaborate hand-painted signage.
as Mississippi to his friends. “I enjoyed
all of the people who work on BRUSH MASTER BOOK ON SALE AT ton. Then, I got along with
LUNA MUSIC AND INDY READS //
A sign reading “Hot Rap, Jazz, Rhythm &
painting and noticed a lot of people and
this hand-painted tradition that
all kinds of people because
Blues” advertised the musical selections,
businesses needed signs.”
is slowly disappearing,” says
of painting.” N
while a sign reading “Pops” touted items
The story of how Travis became the Brush
Hyatt. “I said ‘Let’s bring this to

DEEPLY ROOTED

New Book Celebrates the Brush Master and
the People He Met Through His Paintings

EVENT // Sheck Wes + Valee “Mosh Tour”
WHERE // Deluxe at Old National Centre
TICKETS // On sale now

JULY

EVENT // Julien Baker w/ Lucy Dacus
WHERE // Deluxe at Old National Centre
TICKETS // On sale now

19

INDIANAPOLIS’ FUTURE
AS A MUSIC CITY
How Do We Push Our City’s Music Scene Forward?
BY SETH JOHNSON // SJOHNSON@NUVO.NET

I

ndianapolis has a rich music culture
that dates back decades. From the
jazz boom on Indiana Avenue to the
current swell of hip-hop talent, the
city has always been a place for artists to
hone their craft. The city’s venue-scape
has a lot to offer as well, whether it’s a
historic club like The Vogue or a budding
new one like HI-FI.
Although we may have all of these
pieces, it has recently been pointed out
that our city has never really had a “music
plan,” per se, or a strategy for making
music part of the heart of Indianapolis’
identity and perception.
With this in mind, Josh Baker, owner of
Do317, HI-FI, and MOKB Presents, wanted to get a conversation started. This is
why he teamed up with Sound Diplomacy
and Indy Chamber to bring the first U.S.
Music Cities Forum to Indianapolis last
Tuesday, gathering local musicians and
city leaders into the same room for a day
of productive conversation on Indianapolis’ future as a “music city.”
“I think for me, the biggest thing was we
just got everybody talking together, which
hasn’t happened in a long time,” Baker
said. “I think just by getting everyone
on the same page and in the same room
talking, we’ve created a little bit of traction
and excitement, which is what I really
hoped to do.”
Over the course of the event, a myriad
of Indy-centric music topics were discussed by everyone from rapper Oreo
Jones to Thomas Cook, who is Mayor Joe
Hogsett’s chief of staff. With topics ranging
from needs and challenges of the artistic
community to the role music plays in

NO. 3: A LACK OF ALL-AGES VENUES
“[Creating] more opportunities for
young people to really get hooked and start
coming out and seeing music at a young
age, rather than staying home and playing
video games, is really, really important,”
Huber said. Similar to the liquor-law issues,
this obstacle is tied to laws that are currently in place.

NO. 4: A LACK OF CROSS-POLLINATION
ACROSS GENRES

NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE ARTIST COMMUNITY PANEL
// PHOTO BY KEITH GRINER

tourism and economic development, the
forum featured several engaging panel
discussions, as well as a roundtable discussion at the end to put a cap on all that
had been talked about throughout the day.
“Indy is at a unique moment in time to
reflect on our great and under-celebrated musical heritage, amplify the current
incredible talent and assets, and chart
out a strategic course to grow both our
music culture and industry in a way that
is inclusive and enriches the lives of our
citizens,” said local arts advocate Michael
Kaufmann, who has a history of cultural
entrepreneurship, city building, and artist
management.
Throughout the event, several obstacles were discussed in regards to
Indianapolis’ growth as a music city. In
particular, four key issues came up again
and again.

NO. 1: HOW INDIANAPOLIS IS PRESENTED
“One [key] is a greater focus on music
in the way that the story of Indianapolis is
presented to various audiences, both within our city and externally,” said Michael
Huber, CEO of the Indy Chamber. Also a
musician in his spare time, Huber explains
that talent is really No. 1 when it comes to
Indianapolis and how it can compete with
other cities’ economies.

NO. 2: OUTDATED LIQUOR LAWS
“Our subject-matter experts from other
cities started to identify some unique hurdles that exist here to music venues being
successful,” Huber said. “A lot of those
revolve around what some people consider to be outdated liquor laws.” With this
hurdle, it is especially key to look at and
hopefully adjust the current disincentives
that keep music venues from fully thriving.

“There needs to be more cross-pollination across our great institutions, like
the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra,
the rock/roots community, and the jazz
community—all of which have really deep
roots,” Huber said. “In saying that, I don’t
want to denigrate the people in the city
who have been building those bridges for
decades. But I think we need a much greater mainstream push to try to bring those
different communities together.”
Going forward, Huber hopes to keep
the conversation moving on these issues
and more. “Those [four] are all complex to
tackle, but it does start to give us a sense
of direction,” he said. In looking at all the
city already has in place music-wise, he’s
optimistic on where we are headed.
“One thing that’s exciting coming out of
Music Cities is you can see the pieces of
the puzzle all there—it’s just connecting
them,” Huber said. “So it’s not as if we need
to create something new. It’s just having a
better awareness of the significant aspects
that we have and having a much more
unified effort to build bridges and connect
those dots.” N

hen Bookmamas and Irvington Vinyl some form—that we didn’t leave an empty
announced their dual closing in
space behind. There’s a vital and probably
March, book and vinyl lovers in the
growing business coming in here, [being run
city certainly felt their hearts sink a
by] people with energy and youth on their side,
bit. Luckily, this feeling will only be temporary, and also a lot of knowledge. I couldn’t be more
however, as the pair of shops has been purpleased with whose hands it’s going to be in.”
chased, and they are set to reopen under the
This sentiment is one that’s shared by
new name Irvington Vinyl and Books this June. Angelone, who first opened Bookmamas back
Now under the ownership of local writer/
in 2007 before eventually bringing Wilkerson’s
community organizer Elysia Smith, the shop
Irvington Vinyl shop into the space in 2014.
will continue with its legacy, offering up a
“I’m excited that she’s young, and she has
unique selection of vinyl and books. Local vienergy,” Angelone says of Smith. “She has a
nyl collectors will be especially excited to hear
vision, and she has passion. She can just move
that Smith has purchased a portion of previous it forward. I had gotten to a point where I was
Irvington Vinyl owner Rick Wilkerson’s massive becoming more tired, and I had some health
personal record collection to sell in the store,
issues. It was just getting to be too much for
ensuring there’s a “petri dish of what was in
me. But I think this is just a match made in
the shop to analyze and create continuity
heaven to have her come in here, take over,
from.” She’s also made sure to consult with
and move it in her own direction.”
both Wilkerson and former
In addition to operating as a
Bookmamas owner Kathleen
shop, Smith also wants IrvingAngelone in developing her
“I want to provide ton Vinyl and Books to act as a
plans for the space.
hub for creativity in the Irvingwonder with
“I have built up a lot of rapton community. As a writer, she
port with Rick and Kathleen
what I’m doing
especially plans to open up her
over this process, and it’s been
to book lovers. “I’m really
at Irvington Vinyl doors
wonderful,” Smith says. “I reexcited about the opportunity
ally am spending a lot of time
and Books.”
the bookstore presents for me,
talking to them about what
especially after drowning in
they did in the past and how I
—ELYSIA SMITH the literary community for the
can ensure that the commulast year here,” Smith says. “I
nity Irvington Vinyl and Bookmamas support- plan to open up the space quite a bit, especially
ed before continues to feel supported, while
in that front room, to create a venue for poetry
also bringing in people that will invigorate it,
readings, book clubs, and all sorts of literary
grow it, and make it more dynamic.”
events.” She also hopes to draw Irvington’s
Also the former owner of the often-heralded younger generation into the shop as well.
Missing Link Records (which was open from
“There’s an elementary school a stone’s
1993 to 2008), Wilkerson is moving out of the
throw away, and I want to make sure I’m in that
city and will be focusing his time on other mu- school saying, ‘This is how to become a writer,’
sic-related endeavors. These include a book
to little kids, making sure their parents know
he’s been working on for years and his record
that we’re a resource just as much as we’re a
label, Timechange Records.
bookstore and a record store,” Smith says.
“My fondest hope when Kathleen and I deOf course, the store will host its fair share of
cided to wind this thing up was that we would
music events as well. With all of the programfind somebody to succeed us,” Wilkerson says. ming she does at the shop, though, Smith has
“It didn’t look like we were going to, so we
one primary goal. “I want to provide wonder
went into the liquidation. And then, right at
with what I’m doing at Irvington Vinyl and
the beginning of the liquidation, Elysia came
Books,” she says.
to talk to us, and I was like, ‘Wow. That would
The city can expect to get a taste of this magic
be awesome if we could figure something out.’ starting in June. With no exact opening date in
Against all odds, it happened.”
order yet, Smith advises staying tuned to IrvingWilkerson continues, “I’m just really glad
ton Vinyl and Books on Facebook and Instagram
to be able to look back and say it’s still here in
or via IrvingtonVinylAndBooks.com. N

arlier this year Craft Recordings
released a deluxe vinyl reissue of
24-Carat Black’s soul masterpiece
Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth. While
Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth was a flop
at the time of its initial release on Stax
Records in 1973, the album has gained
notoriety over the years as one of the
most ambitious concept albums in the
history of R&B music (think Pink Floyd’s
Dark Side of the Moon with a southern
soul twist). You may not recognize 24-Carat Black by name, but you’ve undoubtedly
heard their music. Ghetto: Misfortune’s
Wealth helped shape the sound of hiphop, and samples from the album can
be heard in important work from artists
including Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, RZA,
Digable Planets, and Dr. Dre.
I’ve held a long fascination with 24-Carat Black, and I was surprised to learn that
a member of this legendary ensemble is
currently living in Indianapolis. Her name
is C. Niambi Steele, and I recently invited
myself into her life for a talk. Steele was
born in St. Louis but moved to Indianapolis in 1958 at age 10.
She joined 24-Carat Black just after the
recording of Ghetto: Misfortune’s Wealth.
“It’s an opera in my opinion,” Steele said of
the album.
24-Carat Black was the brainchild of
Dale Warren, an unsung figure in soul
music. Warren was born in Detroit in 1940,
and he made his name in the ’60s, working
as an arranger for Motown and other
Detroit soul labels. But Warren is probably
best known for his work at Stax with Isaac
Hayes. Warren is largely responsible for the
epic orchestral sound of Hayes’ classics

such as “Walk on By.”
“Dale was a classically trained violinist,”
Steele told me. “Dale had been trying to
put together a group like 24-Carat Black for
years. So when he saw a group performing
in Cincinnati called The Ditalians, he realized he could mold them into his dream.”

“We were a tribe of people
who had a message.”
—C. NIAMBI STEELE

Warren’s dream was not confined to the
realm of music; he developed 24-Carat
Black into a multimedia vehicle of social
commentary. According to Steele, 24-Carat
Black’s live show incorporated an approach to performance comparable to Julian Beck’s Living Theatre. “24-Carat Black
was supposed to represent an alternative
Black world,” she said. “We were a tribe
of people who had a message. We utilized
different artistic mediums to express that
message. Our live performances were like
nothing anybody had ever witnessed.”
Steele believed deeply in the group’s
message. “It was the whole ’70s vibe of
communal activity,” she said. “We were
all about having one purpose. The music
and the lyrics were so enriching. A lot of
us in the group were single mothers. We
were trying to get out of a life of poverty.
We’d all been through this. I left two kids at
home to go on tour, and I wanted to come
back a success and swoop them up with
total financial security. That’s why 24-Carat
Black was out there. We were fighting for
our lives.”

Ultimately, the financial collapse of
Stax thwarted the group’s valiant efforts
to carry on. Their 1974 sessions remained
unreleased until 2009 when the Numero
label issued the music under the title
Gone—The Promises of Yesterday. The
Gone sessions captured the best recorded
example of Steele’s work with 24-Carat
Black. Warren gave Steele a shot at singing
lead on the sensual “I’ll Never Let You
Go.” “It sounds like I’m moaning on that
song, and I am,” Steele told me. “I was
very frightened on that session, but I was
also excited. Mr. Warren lit candles in the
studio and did everything he could to
set the mood. He said, ‘Just relax. Picture
yourself on a date, and you’re just talking
to your boyfriend.’ He came at me from a
theatrical perspective and really got me
into the song. He was amazing. I can’t tell
you how much he’s influenced my life and
my work ethic. He showed me how to be a
professional because he was a professional through and through.”
A 2010 Pitchfork review of Gone—The
Promises of Yesterday praised Steele’s vocal
performance as “sultry and desirous, but
also possessive and demanding—a valediction of the fact that love gone bad can
still feel uncannily good.”
While her time with 24-Carat Black was
often challenging, Steele has no regrets.
“I always believed in the music,” Steele
told me. And she’s not surprised by the
continued interest in 24-Carat Black’s
music. “Mr. Warren always said the music
of 24-Carat Black would last forever,”
she said. “He told us our grandchildren’s
grandchildren would be listening to
24-Carat Black.” N
NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // MUSIC // 19

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Polish pianist
Ignacy Jan Paderewski once performed for
England’s Queen Victoria. Since she possessed that
bygone era’s equivalent of a backstage pass, she was
able to converse with him after the show. “You’re a
genius,” she told him, having been impressed with his
artistry. “Perhaps, Your Majesty,” Paderewski said. “But
before that I was a drudge.” He meant that he had
labored long and hard before reaching the mastery the
Queen attributed to him. According to my analysis of
the astrological omens, you Libras are currently in an
extended “drudge” phase of your own. That’s a good
thing! Take maximum advantage of this opportunity to
slowly and surely improve your skills.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The ancient Greek
poet Simonides was among the first of his
profession to charge a fee for his services. He made
money by composing verses on demand. On one
occasion, he was asked to write a stirring tribute to the
victor of a mule race. He declined, declaring that his
sensibilities were too fine to create art for such a
vulgar activity. In response, his potential patron
dramatically boosted the proposed price. Soon
thereafter, Simonides produced a rousing ode that
included the phrase “wind-swift steeds.” I offer the
poet as a role model for you in the coming weeks,
Scorpio. Be more flexible than usual about what you’ll
do to get the reward you’d like.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here’s the
operative metaphor for you these days: You’re
like a painter who has had a vision of an interesting
work of art you could create—but who lacks some of
the paint colors you would require to actualize this art.
You may also need new types of brushes you haven’t
used before. So here’s how I suggest you proceed: Be
aggressive in tracking down the missing ingredients or
tools that will enable you to accomplish your as-yet
imaginary masterpiece.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Useful revelations
and provocative epiphanies are headed your way.
But they probably won’t arrive sheathed in sweetness
and light, accompanied by tinkling swells of celestial
music. It’s more likely they’ll come barging in with a
clatter, bringing bristly marvels and rough hope. In a
related matter: At least one breakthrough is in your
imminent future. But this blessing is more likely to
resemble a wrestle in the mud than a dance on a
mountaintop. None of this should be a problem, however!
I suggest you enjoy the rugged but interesting fun.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): One of the saddest
aspects of our lives as humans is the disparity
between love and romance. Real love is hard work. It’s
unselfish, unwavering, and rooted in generous empathy.
Romance, on the other hand, tends to be capricious and
inconstant, often dependent on the fluctuations of mood
and chemistry. Is there anything you could do about this
crazy-making problem, Aquarius? Like could you maybe
arrange for your romantic experiences to be more
thoroughly suffused with the primal power of
unconditional love? I think this is a realistic request,
especially in the coming weeks. You will have
exceptional potential to bring more compassion and
spiritual affection into your practice of intimacy.

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In accordance with
astrological omens, I invite you to dream up new
rituals. The traditional observances and ceremonies
bequeathed to you by your family and culture may
satisfy your need for comfort and nostalgia, but not
your need for renewal and reinvention. Imagine
celebrating homemade rites of passage designed not for
who you once were but for the new person you’ve
become. You may be delighted to discover how much
power they provide you to shape your life’s long-term
cycles. Ready to conjure up a new ritual right now? Take
a piece of paper and write down two fears that inhibit
your drive to create a totally interesting kind of success
for yourself. Then burn that paper and those fears in the
kitchen sink while chanting “I am a swashbuckling
incinerator of fears!”

HOMEWORK: Do something that you will remember with pride and passion until the end of your days.

Testify at Freewillastrology.com.

NUVO.NET // 05.16.18 - 05.23.18 // ASTROLOGY // 23

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